A magical read - part fantasy, part reality, part pain, part triumph. It is definitely not a "feel good" book - and I can't say that I liked the main characters - but it is certainly a book that would offer up lots of discussion. I didn't like the ending, but I'm not sure how it could have ended any differently.

Therese X. (Calera, AL)(06/26/10)

The Blind Contessa's New Machine

Young 19th century Contessa, Carolina Fantoni, realizes she is losing her eyesight and tells her fiancé, who laughs as though it's a joke. When she tells her mother she's losing her sight, Mama only nods and sighs , "Yes. I have been in love, too.". Finally, she blurts out her fate to her father, who waves a hand in front of her eyes and finally concludes "But you haven't, yet!" Frustrated, she confides in her childhood friend, Turri, who has become a unique scientist and peculiar though clever inventor. He creates a unique gift for Carolina: a writing machine. Each letter of the alphabet has its own key in succession and she can touch them to make words appear from a special paper. This becomes her new mode of communication with friends as well as Turri when she wants him to meet her. The blind Contessa’s new machine soon creates a sensation but Turri's invention threatens to invade the privacy and intimacy of their friendship.

Because the book opens with the threat of blindness, it doesn't come as a surprise, yet as a reader, I felt, "Not yet! Don't become blind just yet!" because I wanted to know the real Contessa first. Well, as Carolina adapts to her cruel ailment with curiosity and action rather than self-pity, she shows her true self much more quickly and deeply. She stands above the other characters in the novel in courage and resourcefulness. Except for Turri. When she tells her friend that she begins to dream of wonderful adventures where not only can she see, but she can fly, he falls deeply in love with her (if he wasn't already!) and together they search for a future together. But can that happen if she is now married to Pietro and Turri has a wife and beloved young son?

This small gem of a book is larger reading than one expects. Yet, it could have been somewhat deeper on the supporting characters, and at times I wasn't sure exactly when Carolina was dreaming until she described something, so I gave the book a “4” rating. However, I believe the author, Carey Wallace, has a splendid way with words and descriptions and making the reader feel for the main characters, so I hope there will be further novels. She's certainly off to a good start!

Maggie P. (Mount Airy, MD)(06/25/10)

A Haunting Love Story

As Carolina prepares to marry Pietro she realizes she is going blind. Finding no solace in Pietro, Carolina turns to someone she has known since childhood, Turri. Through the years, Carolina and Turri grow closer despite the fact they are married to others. Things change when Pietro discovers the affair.

The story flows so well it is easy to read in one sitting. The end left me with a physical ache because of the resolution of the story. I would definitely recommend this book to others and look forward to Carey Wallace’s second book.

Susan S. (Middlebury, Connecticut)(06/13/10)

The Blind Contessa's New Machine

When I first started reading "The Blind Contessa's New Machine, I was totally drawn to the main character Countess Carolina Fantoni and found myself wondering how her encroaching blindness was going to affect her life. Then I found myself wondering when the "new machine" mentioned in the title was going to manifest itself. I would have liked to know more about Turri's journey in developing this gift for Carolina. I also found that Carolina's vivid descriptions of "flying" were perhaps too drawn out and I found myself "fast forwarding" through those parts. I did love the characters and could picture them in my "mind's eye" as the story unfolded. If you love romance and colorful, out-of-the ordinary people coping with what life throws at them, you will enjoy this book.

Sandra L. (newton, MA)(06/13/10)

The Blind Contessa's New Machine

A very slow book to begin with, this does get more interesting as it goes on.

It is about a blind Contess,her unexpired husband and the involvment of her long time companion,older than her, but whom they have a wonderful and powerful relationship.

It is based on a true story of the 19th century inventor and his ability to create a typewriter machine for helping her blindness.She ended up,through her dreams and her friend, by being able to communicate by a" writing machine"

A powerful book for anyone nearing the hardship of blindness and learning how to get around the tragedy of this

This is a good historical novel and would be excellent were it not too slow.

Marsha S. (Nags Head, NC)(06/11/10)

The Blind Contessa's New Machine

This book takes the reader to another world and time, and into the young life of Carolina as she journeys into adulthood. The author creates scenes that are richly detailed, as Carolina attempts to record everything in her mind because she finds she is going blind just as she is preparing for her marriage. There is a dreamlike quality to the story as we share her visually shrinking world and transition into the images she stores only in her mind. Her relationships with her family, her husband, and her childhood friend Turri frame the insular world in which she lives. I found the book to be very well-written, and I think the story will appeal to readers who love the written word and the well-turned phrase. But it may lack a wide appeal because of the difficulty in relating to the characters and circumstances of their lives.

Vicki O. (Boston, MA)(06/11/10)

Delightful Debut

This book is not a page turner, but I found myself drawn into the story. I loved the author's lyrical yet simple writing style. By using vivid descriptions and fresh dialogue, the author treats the reader to a visual experience. There was an earthy/dream like quality that reminded me of some of Alice Hoffman's novels and she is one of my favorites. Hopefully we will hear more from Carey Wallace.

Deborah M. (Chambersburg, PA)(06/10/10)

Atmospheric

While this isn't a novel that I can rave about, I did enjoy it and recommend it as a quick and light summer read. One of its strong points is Wallace's fine development of atmosphere. There's a dreamy, sensual quality about her descriptions that perfectly fits the story of a young contessa adapting to losing her eyesight and dreaming her way back to beloved familiar places and exciting new places that she will never see in person. The reader can see the beauty of the contessa's lake and and smell her lush gardens, hear the sad music of the cello and the joyful song of her caged bird, feel the heat of the candle wax and the thick velvet of her robe. The romance is satisfying without going over the top.

If I could change one thing about this book, it would be the title, which probably won't catch the attention of readers who would potentially enjoy the novel. "The Blind Contessa" suggests an older woman, not a vibrant young bride; and "the new machine" plays only a secondary (yet important) role and doesn't appear until the last third of the book. This is NOT the story of the invention of the typewriter!

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